Did you know that the average American driver spends over 42 hours every year sitting in traffic? Driving in heavy traffic is extremely frustrating and stressful. There’s even evidence that it damages long-term health.
Many new drivers struggle with learning how to deal with heavy traffic on the roads. That’s why we’ve put together this list of tips for new drivers to get to work through heavy traffic. Let’s dive in!
1. Drive Slowly
Of course, the more cars on the road, the slower the traffic. This causes many frustrated drivers to speed up to make up for the delays.
Always drive slowly to make sure you don’t accidentally crash or cause a collision. Especially if you’re hiring a vehicle from corporate cars Sydney, you don’t want to find yourself in trouble.
2. Use Your Indicators
You don’t have to spend many weeks driving before you begin to notice that many drivers don’t use their indicators to signal when driving.
It’s always important to use your indicators to let the other drivers around you know where you’re going.
3. Don’t Weave in and Out of Traffic
Have you ever noticed that there’s less traffic in the other lane while you’re on the road?
You should avoid weaving in and out of traffic to get ahead of the rest of the vehicles on the road. This is extremely dangerous because other vehicles don’t know when you’re about to change. Even if you indicate, it’s often too late.
4. Plan Your Journey in Advance
There are many ways to simply avoid the traffic by planning ahead of your journey. These include avoiding the road during the following circumstances:
- Poor weather – rain and snow often result in traffic because drivers have to slow down.
- Construction work – know where the road construction is happening so you can plan an alternative route.
- Big Events – if there’s a popular festival or parade planned, avoid the roads affected by the traffic.
- Rush hour – the hours when people commute to work are notoriously on the roads.
You can’t always plan your journey and avoid such circumstances, but when you can, you should.
5. No Distractions
Many US states have banned the use of cellular phones while driving. However, regardless of where you live, using your phone while driving is really dangerous.
Even if you’re driving slowly in traffic, don’t use your phone when driving. Focus on what you’re doing to stay safe.
6. Keep Your Distance
Even if you’re driving slowly in traffic, you can never predict what the driver in front of you is about to do. That’s why you need to always keep at least 3 seconds (or space for 2 cars) in between you and the other vehicle.
7. Always Stay Calm
When drivers get frustrated and impatient, this is when accidents are most likely to occur. It doesn’t matter what happens on the road, it’s important to always keep your cool.
Whether it’s listening to music or taking a deep breath, do what you need to do to keep calm on the roads.
Tips for New Drivers
With our tips for new drivers, you know how to handle the pressures and challenges of driving on the road with heavy traffic.
You can show experienced and skilled drivers that you know how to behave on the road by following our tips.
If you have been in a car collision or damaged your vehicle, get in touch with us to find out how to repair your car.